Employee Orientation

HR Resource June 13, 2012 — 2,235 views

As the hiring manager for your company, you want to make sure new employee orientation practices are well-developed and cater to the needs of new staff members. Starting a new job can be a stressful time for many people, so any way you can relieve their anxiety can help improve retention. Typically, a successful orientation program follows a strict training checklist and communicates employee benefits. While those guidelines help move the process along, it's also essential to allow some leeway in the process to show the unique vision of your company.

It may be worth your while to get the paperwork and preliminary procedures out of the way before an employee walks through the front door of your office. This would allow you to spend more time promoting how your operation works and introducing key players in the business to the recently hired professionals. Not only will your new employees feel at ease and get excited about their new career opportunities, but engaging orientations can reduce worker turnover rates.

Organizations that give workers a comprehensive orientation often see turnover decline by as much as 50 percent within two years, according to Deliver the Promise, a consulting group in San Anselmo, California. Of course, this doesn't mean you don't get down to business when essential goals and agendas must be established and set. An even balance of integration and responsibility can go a long way toward describing the corporate culture in a non-aggressive manner.

On the first day, you may want to set initial goals for each new hire. These achievements don't need to be overly complex, but should push employees to exercise their unique skill sets. When the goals are accomplished, your company will benefit from the completed tasks, and your employees will feel confident in their ability to perform well in new environments.

In addition to setting immediate goals, you may want to acclimate new workers with all of the company's departments and people. An enormous amount of stress can develop when new hires are unfamiliar with the people they work with, regarding situations such as where they would go when they have a problem with payroll.

Each hiring manager does employee orientation differently, so the process you use will not be the same as your competitors. However, when you communicate to your new hires that they are appreciated and valuable resources, they're likely to express their gratitude through loyalty and superior work.